Q:
Flood Damaged Honda Accord. HELP.

asked by
Steven A
on
September 22, 2016

After a very heavy night of rain it turned out that my street flooded. My car was parked at a slight incline (maybe 10-15°) with the engine pointed away from the water, and the entire inside was flooded with water up to just below the seats. I tried to start it to move it but it died quickly. I and two other people pushed it out of water, still wont start after a little more than 24 hrs. All lights, horn, radio, etc still work. No water on dipstick. Air filter appears to be dry. It may be the starter but want any advice that may be provided. Thank you very much in advance.

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Flood damage is a serious problem. When most people hear flood, they turn and run for the hills and there is a reason for it.

First, even if you didn’t fry all your electronics, you are asking for rust and mold. Second, even if some of the electronics work now, it is no guarantee that they will continue to.

I do not want to insult you or your vehicle, but it is a 1997 with 170,000 miles. It might be time to let this thing go. The amount of time and money required to fully restore even a newer car with flood damage isn’t normally worth it.

That being said, check all the fuses. Have the battery checked. If the problems continue, have the starter checked. If the car cranks, but doesn’t start, then you know at least the battery and starter work, but if it is not cranking, those two parts are where I would start.

There are a lot of things that may have shorted out, so do not assume anything is operational until you can verify it. If you need assistance with these checks, consider YourMechanic, as one of our mobile technicians can come diagnose your starting issue and assess any other issues that are present. I wish you good luck

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